Site Director - Red Wing POST NUMBER: 306990
Onsite M-F in Red Wing/Hager City area
Compensation: $160,000-180,000 15% target bonus
Benefits, unlimited pto plan, 401k match
Reports to: VP Process Improvement
Job Summary
A well-established, growing manufacturer of branded and custom consumer products is seeking an experienced Site Director to lead operations at its manufacturing facility in Red Wing, MN.
The Site Director will oversee all aspects of facility operations, including production, warehousing, logistics, scheduling, quality, safety, and workforce management. This leader will drive operational excellence, strengthen manufacturing processes, and foster a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
The ideal candidate brings significant manufacturing leadership experience, with a strong preference for paper production and commercial printing experience, including print, bindery, and finishing operations. Success in this role requires a strategic, methodical leader who can build effective processes, optimize performance, and lead a high-volume, make-to-order manufacturing environment with demanding customer delivery timelines.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead Site Operations: Direct all facility operations to achieve production targets, cost objectives, quality standards, and customer service goals.
- 6 Direct Reports: Molding Manager, Master Scheduler, Printing Manager, Quality Manager, Warehousing Manager, Maintenance Manager
- Drive Operational Excellence: Establish and implement standardized processes, lean manufacturing practices, and continuous improvement initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and enhance operational efficiency.
- Oversee Production and Fulfillment: Manage production scheduling, warehousing, logistics, and order fulfillment in a fast-paced, make-to-order environment with short customer lead times.
- Champion Safety and Quality: Build a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, and compliance with all applicable regulatory, environmental, and workplace safety requirements.
- Lead and Develop Talent: Manage, coach, and develop a team of six managers while fostering employee engagement, collaboration, and a high-performance culture.
- Support Strategic Growth: Partner with senior leadership on strategic planning, capital investments, process improvements, and long-term business objectives.
- Optimize Resources and Performance: Identify opportunities to improve labor utilization, equipment effectiveness, capacity, cost management, and overall site performance.
- Build Strong Partnerships: Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to align operational priorities with business and customer needs.
Required Qualifications
- 10 years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership experience.
- 5 years of experience in a plant, site, or equivalent senior operations leadership role.
- Manufacturing experience in paper production is a top priority, ideally involving calendars or similar printed paper products.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
- Strong background in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational best practices.
- Experience managing and developing manager-level direct reports.
- Proven ability to establish processes, improve operational discipline, and drive measurable performance improvements.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related field.
Preferred Qualifications
- Commercial printing experience, including offset or digital printing on paper products.
- Experience with bindery and finishing operations, including cutting, collating, binding, and packaging.
- Experience managing seasonal production peaks or fluctuating demand for paper-based products, such as calendars.
- Background in consumer products, plastics, promotional products, or other custom manufacturing environments.
- Experience with make-to-order, high-mix production and rapid order fulfillment.
- Six Sigma certification.
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Vaco by Highspring is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.
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For residents of Ontario, Canada: Based on Highspring’s discussions with its Client, Highspring’s understanding is that this position for employment is a current vacancy (either through Highspring as a contractor or with the client directly).
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Pay Transparency Notice
Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:
- the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
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With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.